


I can hear a lark somewhere (begin to sing about it)

by nausicaa_of_phaeacia



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Birthday, F/M, Gen, Post-Season/Series 03, quake - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-21 18:03:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7397863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nausicaa_of_phaeacia/pseuds/nausicaa_of_phaeacia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daisy makes sure to leave a few breadcrumbs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I can hear a lark somewhere (begin to sing about it)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zauberer_sirin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zauberer_sirin/gifts).



> For becketted's birthday. Sorry I'm a little late, I've not been home for the past few days. Hope you enjoy this little thing! :)

It's not that she doesn't notice Coulson following her scarce breadcrumbs everywhere; she knows all too well that he's going to follow her everywhere as long as he knows at least approximately in which direction she went. That's why she's started the habit of setting up a few (relatively harmless; nothing Coulson couldn't handle) red herrings every time she's about to do something that could harm Coulson or Mack or their reputation. Obviously, he knows he's being misled, but he seems to respect her wishes and follows the fake leads every single time (maybe it's just because he can never be completely sure that she won't show up - on second thought, that's probably exactly what it is).

Sometimes, she hacks her way into his phone or the cockpit or one of their computers, leaves an encrypted message saying that Coulson needs to eat, or that she likes May's new haircut, or that they need to stock up on Debbie cakes, or that Mack needs to take Elena to an Ana Tijoux concert already. She guesses those are the only reason Coulson doesn't lose his sense of professionality entirely whilst looking for her in vain. Most probably, he also thinks that by following her fake leads, he's also protecting her from Talbot's guys and everyone else chasing after her, and that's actually also a nice thing to know when you're sort of on the run.

Another six months go by, and she's been considering returning to S.H.I.E.L.D. - not for work, that's not something she can see herself handle yet, but for some kind of liaison for the small group of people she's been leading on Robin Hood missions (at least, that's what the newspapers call her efforts) - maybe just to check up on everybody, eat some cake together or something, show them that she's still very much alive and not to be scared into "cooperation with the federal agencies". Somehow, she never gets around to visit the base, though. Maybe it's also - not lack of courage, but simply the fact that she wouldn't know what to say, especially to Coulson. (Hello, thanks for respecting all my red herrings, I'm just checking in to say goodbye again - that doesn't sound too convincing.)

She misses him, though. And Mack. And Elena and May and Joey and Jemma. And all the Koenigs. She knows that nobody is going to give her a hard time for making this decision, but nevertheless, she feels like she's been betraying them in some way. Especially Coulson. Even if she knows he understands (he'd always understand).

It's probably just some silly little phase of nostalgia that makes her visit the Retreat. Okay, it's her birthday after all, it's not like she doesn't deserve some peace and quiet, some fresh air and a break from hiding, and it's not like she hasn't made sure that no one's on the perimeter - but if she's being honest, the only reason why she's there is because it feels a little bit like home, and because it's full of memories, even of Robin playing in the snow last winter, running around the cabin.

As she moves towards the far end of the cabin to pick the old-fashioned lock (after deactivating all electronics), she almost trips over a small package lying on the ground next to the door. It's just a brown paper box, but there is an unmistakeable daisy flower doodled on top of it.  
Her heart is beating in her throat as she looks around before picking it up. 

Very carefully, she pulls off the lid to reveal a flawless birthday cake; a rich chocolatey thing decorated with daisies made of sugar, and a very familiar handwriting in icing all across it:  
  
_I hoped you'd come. Happy birthday. Keep it up. P._  
  
And she's not crying, that's just - it's just the wind blowing in her face a little. Also, she's too busy smiling, so.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading. Hope you liked it <3
> 
> Title's from the lyrics to the jazz standard _Every Time We Say Goodbye_.


End file.
